Satanic Versus EP

Jade Tree; 2002

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Experimentation cannot excuse a lack of good ideas. From the beginning, Milemarker carelessly employed keyboard-mashing and effects-pedals as a defense mechanism, hoping to lend credibility to their otherwise pedestrian half-time hardcore. Coming off the heels of the opportunistic Anaesthetic-- on which they turned the Faint knob up, and the Jawbox knob down-- the band attempts to chart darker territory on their latest EP, Satanic Versus. It was partially recorded-- as they're sure to tell you-- by Steve Albini. It's not going on his resume.

Satanic Versus is a genre-hopping six-track disc with a few decent ideas, that, had they been kept under wraps until a few more fell into place, would've built a much better, more cohesive album. But Milemarker have never been known for patience or strategy, and while many may argue that's a sign of authenticity and/or dedication, you need a lot more talent than this if you want to tackle such disparate sounds on the same release. "Join Our Party" opens with the synthesizers The Faint reincarnated on Blank-Wave Arcade; the song is all but reprised on the much harder "Idle Hands", which passes for a distorted soundboard recording of the Stereo MC's. ("Idle Hands" was also the title of the Murder City Devils' biggest hit-- why a band that uses the exact same organ sound would draw any more attention to the comparison is beyond me, but, insofar as it evokes The The's classic "Infected", it's easily the best thing on this record).

"The Banner to the Sick", one of three Albini-recorded tracks (all of which sound like shit, by the way) is tragic: this is post-rock for the emo set. It's as close to difficult as people still listening to Weezer and At the Drive-In are willing to get, where the same tempos and guitar-chugging they're comfortable with isn't overtaken by effects and keyboards. It's as if the song is trying to give its audience transitive credibility within different genres, but, if it didn't sound like shit, they could be opening for Linkin Park next month. It's followed by "New Lexicon", which plods along with all the intimidating minor-chord riffage of a Spooky Sounds Halloween cassette.

Godspeed You Black Emperor have convinced any number of musicians that fifteen minute songs based on simple piano lines are art, and though late to the game, Milemarker are definitely trying to get a seat at the table with "Lost the Thoughts But Kept the Skin". Were it not for this grandiose departure, we could dismiss the incongruous electroclash of "Join Our Party" as fake-intro silliness, but this xFC-goth attempt at an anthem, with its distorted, flanged guitars and cathedral vocal echoes, failed to lift my skinny fists higher than the eject button. The sine-wave runoff that closes Satanic Versus (3\xBD solid minutes of a single wavering bass frequency) only underscores their laziness: Milemarker summon all the surprise and menace of a horror movie sequel.